Magnetic tape device and magnetic reproducing method

ABSTRACT

The magnetic tape device includes: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a TMR head, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured after performing the vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference between a spacing measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing measured before performing the vacuum heating is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-254444 filed on Dec. 27, 2016. The above application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic tape device and a magnetic reproducing method.

2. Description of the Related Art

Magnetic recording is used as a method of recording information in a recording medium. In the magnetic recording, information is recorded on a magnetic recording medium as a magnetized pattern. Information recorded on a magnetic recording medium is reproduced by reading a magnetic signal obtained from the magnetized pattern by a magnetic head. As a magnetic head used for such reproducing, various magnetic heads have been proposed (for example, see JP2004-185676A).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An increase in recording capacity (high capacity) of a magnetic recording medium is required in accordance with a great increase in information content in recent years. As means for realizing high capacity, a technology of increasing a recording density of a magnetic recording medium is used. However, as the recording density increases, a magnetic signal (specifically, a leakage magnetic field) obtained from a magnetic layer tends to become weak. Accordingly, it is desired that a high-sensitivity magnetic head capable of reading a weak signal with excellent sensitivity is used as a reproducing head. Regarding the sensitivity of the magnetic head, it is said that a magnetoresistive (MR) head using a magnetoresistance effect as an operating principle has excellent sensitivity, compared to an inductive head used in the related art.

As the MR head, an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head are known as disclosed in a paragraph 0003 of JP2004-185676A. The GMR head is an MR head having excellent sensitivity than that of the AMR head. In addition, a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) head disclosed in a paragraph 0004 and the like of JP2004-185676A is an MR head having a high possibility of realizing higher sensitivity.

Meanwhile, a recording and reproducing system of the magnetic recording is broadly divided into a levitation type and a sliding type. A magnetic recording medium in which information is recorded by the magnetic recording is broadly divided into a magnetic disk and a magnetic tape. Hereinafter, a drive including a magnetic disk as a magnetic recording medium is referred to as a “magnetic disk device” and a drive including a magnetic tape as a magnetic recording medium is referred to as a “magnetic tape device”.

The magnetic disk device is generally called a hard disk drive (HDD) and a levitation type recording and reproducing system is used. In the magnetic disk device, a shape of a surface of a magnetic head slider facing a magnetic disk and a head suspension assembly that supports the magnetic head slider are designed so that a predetermined interval between a magnetic disk and a magnetic head can be maintained with air flow at the time of rotation of the magnetic disk. In such a magnetic disk device, information is recorded and reproduced in a state where the magnetic disk and the magnetic head do not come into contact with each other. The recording and reproducing system described above is the levitation type. On the other hand, a sliding type recording and reproducing system is used in the magnetic tape device. In the magnetic tape device, a surface of a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape and a magnetic head come into contact with each other and slide on each other, at the time of the recording and reproducing information.

JP2004-185676A proposes usage of the TMR head in the magnetic disk device. On the other hand, the usage of the TMR head in the magnetic tape device is currently still in a stage where the further use thereof is expected. The reason why the usage thereof is not yet practically realized is because it is not necessary that a reproducing head used in the magnetic tape device have sensitivity improved enough for using the TMR head. Nevertheless, in a case where the TMR head can be used as the reproducing head even in the magnetic tape device, it is possible to deal with higher-density recording of a magnetic tape in the future.

Therefore, an object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a magnetic tape device in which a TMR head is mounted as a reproducing head.

A magnetoresistance effect which is an operating principle of the MR head such as the TMR head is a phenomenon in which electric resistance changes depending on a change in magnetic field. The MR head detects a change in leakage magnetic field generated from a magnetic recording medium as a change in resistance value (electric resistance) and reproduces information by converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage. It is said that a resistance value of the TMR head is generally high, as disclosed in a paragraph 0007 of JP2004-185676A, but generation of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head may cause a decrease in reproduction output and a deterioration of electromagnetic conversion characteristics (specifically, signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR)) accompanied with that.

During intensive studies for achieving the object described above, the inventors have found a phenomenon which was not known in the related art, in that, in a case of using the TMR head as a reproducing head in the magnetic tape device, a significant decrease in resistance value (electric resistance) occurs in the TMR head. A decrease in resistance value of the TMR head is a decrease in electric resistance measured by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes configuring a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element included in the TMR head. The phenomenon in which this resistance value significantly decreases is not observed in a case of using the TMR head in the magnetic disk device, nor in a case of using other MR heads such as the GMR head in the magnetic disk device or the magnetic tape device. That is, occurrence of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head in a case of reproducing information by using the TMR head as a reproducing head was not even confirmed in the related art. A difference in the recording and reproducing system between the magnetic disk device and the magnetic tape device, specifically, contact and non-contact between a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head at the time of the reproducing may be the reason why a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurred in the magnetic tape device is not observed in the magnetic disk device. In addition, the TMR head has a special structure in which two electrodes are provided with an insulating layer (tunnel barrier layer) interposed therebetween in a direction in which a magnetic tape is transported, which is not applied to other MR heads which are currently practically used, and it is considered that this is the reason why a significant decrease in resistance value occurring in the TMR head is not observed in other MR heads.

With respect to this, as a result of more intensive studies after finding the phenomenon described above, the inventors have newly found that such a significant decrease in resistance value can be prevented by using a magnetic tape which will be described later as the magnetic tape.

One aspect of the invention has been completed based on the finding described above.

That is, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic tape device comprising: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head (hereinafter, also referred to as a “TMR head”) including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (hereinafter, also referred to as a “TMR element”) as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape (hereinafter, also referred to as “FWHM_(before)”) is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape (hereinafter, also referred to as “FWHM_(after)”) is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “difference (S_(after)−S_(before))”) is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic reproducing method comprising: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.

In the invention and the specification, the “vacuum heating” of the magnetic tape is performed by holding the magnetic tape in an environment of a pressure of 200 Pa to 0.01 MPa and at an atmosphere temperature of 70° C. to 90° C. for 24 hours.

In the invention and the specification, the spacing measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is a value measured by the following method. In the invention and the specification, the “surface of the magnetic layer” of the magnetic tape is identical to the surface of the magnetic tape on the magnetic layer side.

In a state where the magnetic tape and a transparent plate-shaped member (for example, glass plate or the like) are overlapped onto each other so that the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape faces the transparent plate-shaped member, a pressing member is pressed against the side of the magnetic tape opposite to the magnetic layer side at a pressure of 5.05×10⁴ N/m (0.5 atm). In this state, the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is irradiated with light through the transparent plate-shaped member (irradiation region: 150,000 to 200,000 μm²), and a spacing (distance) between the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape and the surface of the transparent plate-shaped member on the magnetic tape side is acquired based on intensity (for example, contrast of interference fringe image) of interference light generated due to a difference in a light path between reflected light from the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape and reflected light from the surface of the transparent plate-shaped member on the magnetic tape side. The light emitted here is not particularly limited. In a case where the emitted light is light having an emission wavelength over a comparatively wide wavelength range as white light including light having a plurality of wavelengths, a member having a function of selectively cutting light having a specific wavelength or a wavelength other than wavelengths in a specific wavelength range, such as an interference filter, is disposed between the transparent plate-shaped member and a light reception unit which receives reflected light, and light at some wavelengths or in some wavelength ranges of the reflected light is selectively incident to the light reception unit. In a case where the light emitted is light (so-called monochromatic light) having a single luminescence peak, the member described above may not be used. The wavelength of light incident to the light reception unit can be set to be 500 to 700 nm, for example. However, the wavelength of light incident to the light reception unit is not limited to be in the range described above. In addition, the transparent plate-shaped member may be a member having transparency through which emitted light passes, to the extent that the magnetic tape is irradiated with light through this member and interference light is obtained.

The measurement described above can be performed by using a commercially available tape spacing analyzer (TSA) such as Tape Spacing Analyzer manufactured by Micro Physics, Inc., for example. The spacing measurement of the examples was performed by using Tape Spacing Analyzer manufactured by Micro Physics, Inc.

In addition, the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution of the invention and the specification is a full width at half maximum (FWHM), in a case where the interference fringe image obtained by the measurement of the spacing described above is divided into 300,000 points, a spacing of each point (distance between the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape and the surface of the transparent plate-shaped member on the magnetic tape side) is acquired, this spacing is shown with a histogram, and this histogram is fit with Gaussian distribution.

Further, the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is a value obtained by subtracting a mode before the vacuum heating from a mode after the vacuum heating of the 300,000 points.

One aspect of the magnetic tape device and the magnetic reproducing method is as follows.

In one aspect, the FWHM_(before) is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.

In one aspect, the FWHM_(after) is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.

In one aspect, the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is 2.0 nm to 9.0 nm.

In one aspect, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.8 nm.

In one aspect, the center line average surface roughness Ra is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm.

In one aspect, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, and a total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.8 μm.

In one aspect, the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm.

According to one aspect of the invention, it is possible to prevent occurrence of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape by the TMR head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vibration imparting device used in examples.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Magnetic Tape Device

One aspect of the invention relates to a magnetic tape device including: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape (FWHM_(before)) is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape (FWHM_(after)) is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.

In the magnetic tape device, in a case of using a magnetic tape of the related art, in a case of using a TMR head as a reproducing head, a phenomenon in which a resistance value (electric resistance) significantly decreases in the TMR head occurs. This phenomenon is a phenomenon that has been newly found by the inventors. The inventors have considered the reason for the occurrence of such a phenomenon is as follows.

The TMR head is a magnetic head using a tunnel magnetoresistance effect and includes two electrodes with an insulating layer (tunnel barrier layer) interposed therebetween. The tunnel barrier layer positioned between the two electrodes is an insulating layer, and thus, even in a case where a voltage is applied between the two electrodes, in general, a current does not flow or does not substantially flow between the electrodes. However, a current (tunnel current) flows by a tunnel effect depending on a direction of a magnetic field of a free layer affected by a leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape, and a change in amount of a tunnel current flow is detected as a change in resistance value by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. By converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage, information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced.

Examples of a structure of the MR head include a current-in-plane (CIP) structure and a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) structure, and the TMR head is a magnetic head having a CPP structure. In the MR head having a CPP structure, a current flows in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of an MR element, that is, a direction in which the magnetic tape is transported, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape. With respect to this, other MR heads, for example, a spin valve type GMR head which is widely used in recent years among the GMR heads has a CIP structure. In the MR head having a CIP structure, a current flows in a direction in a film plane of an MR element, that is, a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the magnetic tape is transported, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape.

As described above, the TMR head has a special structure which is not applied to other MR heads which are currently practically used. Accordingly, in a case where short circuit (bypass due to damage) occurs even at one portion between the two electrodes, the resistance value significantly decreases. A significant decrease in resistance value in a case of the short circuit occurring even at one portion between the two electrodes as described above is a phenomenon which does not occur in other MR heads. In the magnetic disk device using a levitation type recording and reproducing system, a magnetic disk and a reproducing head do not come into contact with each other at the time of reproducing, and thus, damage causing short circuit hardly occurs. On the other hand, in the magnetic tape using a sliding type recording and reproducing system, in a case where any measures are not prepared, the TMR head is damaged due to the sliding between the TMR head and the magnetic tape, and thus, short circuit easily occurs. The inventors have assumed that this is the reason why a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head significantly occurs at the time of reproducing, in a case of using the TMR head as the reproducing head in the magenta tape device.

With respect to this, as a result of intensive studies of the inventors, the inventors have newly found that it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head significantly occurs at the time of reproducing, in a case of using the TMR head as the reproducing head in the magenta tape device, by using the magnetic tape in which the FWHM_(before), the FWHM_(after), and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) are respectively in the ranges described above. The surmise of the inventors regarding this point is as described in the following (1) and (2).

(1) A portion (projection) which mainly comes into contact (so-called real contact) with the reproducing head in a case where the magnetic tape and the reproducing head slide on each other, and a portion (hereinafter, referred to as a “base portion”) having a height lower than that of the portion described above are normally present on the surface of the magnetic layer. The inventors have thought that the spacing described above is a value which is an index of a distance between the reproducing head and the base portion in a case where the magnetic tape and the reproducing head slide on each other. However, it is thought that, in a case where a lubricant included in the magnetic layer forms a liquid film on the surface of the magnetic layer, the liquid film is present between the base portion and the reproducing head, and thus, the spacing is narrowed by the thickness of the liquid film.

Meanwhile, the lubricant is generally divided broadly into a fluid lubricant and a boundary lubricant. Fatty acid ester included in the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is known as a component which can function as a liquid lubricant. It is considered that a fluid lubricant can protect the surface of the magnetic layer by forming a liquid film on the surface of the magnetic layer. The inventors have thought that the presence of the liquid film of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer contributes to smooth sliding (improvement of sliding properties) between the magnetic tape and the reproducing head (TMR head).

However, an excessive amount of fatty acid ester present on the surface of the magnetic layer causes sticking due to the formation of a meniscus (liquid crosslinking) between the surface of the magnetic layer and the reproducing head due to fatty acid ester, thereby decreasing sliding properties.

In regards to this point, the inventors focused on the idea that fatty acid ester is a component having properties of volatilizing by vacuum heating, and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) of a spacing between a state after the vacuum heating (state in which a liquid film of fatty acid ester is volatilized and removed) and a state before the vacuum heating (state in which the liquid film of fatty acid ester is present) was used as an index for the thickness of the liquid film formed of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer. The inventors have surmised that the presence of the liquid film of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer, so that the value of the difference is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm, causes the improvement of sliding properties between the reproducing head (TMR head) and the magnetic tape while preventing sticking.

(2) A smaller value of the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution means that a variation in the values of the spacing measured on each part of the surface of the magnetic layer is small. As a result of intensive studies, the inventors found that it is effective to increase uniformity of a contact state between the surface of the magnetic layer and the reproducing head by increasing uniformity of a height of projection present on the surface of the magnetic layer and increasing uniformity of a thickness of a liquid film of fatty acid ester, in order to realize smooth sliding between the magnetic tape and the reproducing head.

In regards to this point, it is considered that the reason for the variation in values of the spacing is a variation in height of the projection of the surface of the magnetic layer and a variation in the thickness of the liquid film fatty acid ester. The inventors have surmised that the full width at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(before) measured before the vacuum heating, that is, in a state where the liquid film of fatty acid ester is present on the surface of the magnetic layer, becomes great, as the variation in height of the projection and the variation in the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester are great. Particularly, the spacing distribution FWHM_(before) is greatly affected by the variation in the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester. In contrast, the inventors have surmised that the full width at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(after) measured after the vacuum heating, that is, in a state where the liquid film of fatty acid ester is removed from the surface of the magnetic layer, becomes great, as the variation in height of the projection is great. That is, the inventors have surmised that small full widths at half maximum of spacing distributions FWHM_(before) and FWHM_(after) mean a small variation in the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer and a small variation in height of the projection. It was clear that it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head significantly occurs at the time of reproducing, in a case of using the TMR head as the reproducing head in the magnetic tape device, by increasing the uniformity of the height of the projection and the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester so that the full widths at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(before) and FWHM_(after) are greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm.

However, the above-mentioned description includes the surmise of the inventors. The invention is not limited to such a surmise.

Hereinafter, the magnetic tape device will be described more specifically. A “decrease in resistance value of the TMR head” described below is a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurring in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape by the TMR head, in the magnetic tape device in which the TMR head is mounted as the reproducing head, unless otherwise noted.

Magnetic Tape

Full Width at Half Maximum of Spacing Distribution FWHM_(before) and FWHM_(after) Both of the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution FWHM_(before) before the vacuum heating and the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution FWHM_(after) after the vacuum heating which are measured in the magnetic tape are greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm. The inventors have surmised that this point contributes to the prevention of a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. From a viewpoint of further preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head, the FWHM_(before) and the FWHM_(after) are preferably equal to or smaller than 6.5 nm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 6.0 nm, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 5.5 nm, still more preferably equal to or smaller than 5.0 nm, and still even more preferably equal to or smaller than 4.5 nm. The FWHM_(before) and the FWHM_(after) can be, for example, equal to or greater than 0.5 nm, equal to or greater than 1.0 nm, equal to or greater than 2.0 nm, or equal to or greater than 3.0 nm. Meanwhile, from a viewpoint of preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head, it is preferable that the values thereof are small, and therefore, the values thereof may be smaller than the exemplified values.

The full width at half maximum of spacing distribution FWHM_(before) before the vacuum heating can be decreased mainly by decreasing the variation in the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester. An example of a specific method will be described later. Meanwhile, the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution FWHM_(after) after the vacuum heating can be decreased by decreasing the variation in height of the projection of the surface of the magnetic layer. In order to realize the decrease described above, it is preferable that a presence state of the powder component included in the magnetic layer, for example, non-magnetic filler, which will be described later specifically, in the magnetic layer is controlled. An example of a specific method will be described later.

Difference (S_(after)−S_(before))

The difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) of the spacings before and after the vacuum heating measured in the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm. The inventors have surmised that this point also contributes to the prevention of a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. From a viewpoint of further preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head, the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is preferably equal to or greater than 0.1 nm, more preferably equal to or greater than 1.0 nm, even more preferably equal to or greater than 1.5 nm, still more preferably equal to or greater than 2.0 nm, and still even more preferably equal to or greater than 2.5 nm. Meanwhile, from a viewpoint of further preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head, the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is preferably equal to or smaller than 8.5 nm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 8.0 nm, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, still preferably equal to or smaller than 6.0 nm, still more preferably equal to or smaller than 5.0 nm, still even more preferably equal to or smaller than 4.0 nm, and still further more preferably equal to or smaller than 3.0 nm. The difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) can be controlled by the amount of fatty acid ester added to a magnetic layer forming composition. In addition, regarding the magnetic tape including a non-magnetic layer between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) can also be controlled by the amount of fatty acid ester added to a non-magnetic layer forming composition. This is because that the non-magnetic layer can play a role of holding a lubricant and supplying the lubricant to the magnetic layer, and fatty acid ester included in the non-magnetic layer may be moved to the magnetic layer and present in the surface of the magnetic layer.

Next, the magnetic layer and the like included in the magnetic tape will be described more specifically.

Magnetic Layer

Fatty Acid Ester

The magnetic tape includes fatty acid ester in the magnetic layer. The fatty acid ester may be included alone as one type or two or more types thereof may be included.

Examples of fatty acid ester include esters of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, behenic acid, erucic acid, and elaidic acid. Specific examples thereof include butyl myristate, butyl palmitate, butyl stearate (butyl stearate), neopentyl glycol dioleate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan tristearate, oleyl oleate, isocetyl stearate, isotridecyl stearate, octyl stearate, isooctyl stearate, amyl stearate, and butoxyethyl stearate.

The content of fatty acid ester, as the content of the magnetic layer forming composition, is, for example, 0.1 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of ferromagnetic powder. In a case of using two or more kinds of different fatty acid esters as the fatty acid ester, the content thereof is the total content thereof. In the invention and the specification, the same applies to content of other components, unless otherwise noted. In addition, in the invention and the specification, a given component may be used alone or used in combination of two or more kinds thereof, unless otherwise noted.

In a case where the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, the content of fatty acid ester in a non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 0.1 to 8.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of non-magnetic powder.

Other Lubricants

The magnetic tape includes fatty acid ester which is one kind of lubricants at least in the magnetic layer. The lubricants other than fatty acid ester may be arbitrarily included in the magnetic layer and/or the non-magnetic layer. As described above, the lubricant included in the non-magnetic layer may be moved to the magnetic layer and present in the surface of the magnetic layer. As the lubricant which may be arbitrarily included, fatty acid can be used. In addition, fatty acid amide and the like can also be used. Fatty acid ester is known as a component which can function as a fluid lubricant, whereas fatty acid and fatty acid amide are known as a component which can function as a boundary lubricant. It is considered that the boundary lubricant is a lubricant which can be adsorbed to a surface of powder (for example, ferromagnetic powder) and form a rigid lubricant film to decrease contact friction.

Examples of fatty acid include lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, behenic acid, erucic acid, and elaidic acid, and stearic acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid are preferable, and stearic acid is more preferable. Fatty acid may be included in the magnetic layer in a state of salt such as metal salt.

As fatty acid amide, amide of various fatty acid described above is used, and examples thereof include lauric acid amide, myristic acid amide, palmitic acid amide, and stearic acid amide.

Regarding fatty acid and a derivative of fatty acid (amide and ester), a part derived from fatty acid of the fatty acid derivative preferably has a structure which is the same as or similar to that of fatty acid used in combination. As an example, in a case of using stearic acid as fatty acid, it is preferable to use stearic acid ester and/or stearic acid amide.

The content of fatty acid in the magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 10.0 parts by mass, preferably 0.1 to 10.0 parts by mass, and more preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass, with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder. The content of fatty acid amide in the magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 3.0 parts by mass, preferably 0 to 2.0 parts by mass, and more preferably 0 to 1.0 part by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder.

In a case where the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, the content of fatty acid in the non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 10.0 parts by mass, preferably 1.0 to 10.0 parts by mass, and more preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the non-magnetic powder. The content of fatty acid amide in the non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 3.0 parts by mass and preferably 0 to 1.0 part by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the non-magnetic powder.

Ferromagnetic Powder

As the ferromagnetic powder included in the magnetic layer, ferromagnetic powder normally used in the magnetic layer of various magnetic recording media can be used. It is preferable to use ferromagnetic powder having a small average particle size, from a viewpoint of improvement of recording density of the magnetic tape. From this viewpoint, ferromagnetic powder having an average particle size equal to or smaller than 50 nm is preferably used as the ferromagnetic powder. Meanwhile, the average particle size of the ferromagnetic powder is preferably equal to or greater than 10 nm, from a viewpoint of stability of magnetization.

As a preferred specific example of the ferromagnetic powder, ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder can be used. An average particle size of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is preferably 10 nm to 50 nm and more preferably 20 nm to 50 nm, from a viewpoint of improvement of recording density and stability of magnetization. For details of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0012 to 0030 of JP2011-225417A, paragraphs 0134 to 0136 of JP2011-216149A, and paragraphs 0013 to 0030 of JP2012-204726A can be referred to, for example.

As a preferred specific example of the ferromagnetic powder, ferromagnetic metal powder can also be used. An average particle size of the ferromagnetic metal powder is preferably 10 nm to 50 nm and more preferably 20 nm to 50 nm, from a viewpoint of improvement of recording density and stability of magnetization. For details of the ferromagnetic metal powder, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0137 to 0141 of JP2011-216149A and paragraphs 0009 to 0023 of JP2005-251351 can be referred to, for example.

In the invention and the specification, average particle sizes of various powder such as the ferromagnetic powder and the like are values measured by the following method with a transmission electron microscope, unless otherwise noted.

The powder is imaged at a magnification ratio of 100,000 with a transmission electron microscope, the image is printed on printing paper so that the total magnification of 500,000 to obtain an image of particles configuring the powder. A target particle is selected from the obtained image of particles, an outline of the particle is traced with a digitizer, and a size of the particle (primary particle) is measured. The primary particle is an independent particle which is not aggregated.

The measurement described above is performed regarding 500 particles arbitrarily extracted. An arithmetical mean of the particle size of 500 particles obtained as described above is an average particle size of the powder. As the transmission electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. can be used, for example. In addition, the measurement of the particle size can be performed by well-known image analysis software, for example, image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss.

In the invention and the specification, the average particle size of the ferromagnetic powder and other powder is an average particle size obtained by the method described above, unless otherwise noted. The average particle size shown in examples which will be described later is a value measured by using transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. as the transmission electron microscope, and image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss as the image analysis software, unless otherwise noted. In the invention and the specification, the powder means an aggregate of a plurality of particles. For example, the ferromagnetic powder means an aggregate of a plurality of ferromagnetic particles. The aggregate of the plurality of particles not only includes an aspect in which particles configuring the aggregate directly come into contact with each other, and also includes an aspect in which a binding agent or an additive which will be described later is interposed between the particles. A term “particles” is also used for describing the powder.

As a method of collecting a sample powder from the magnetic tape in order to measure the particle size, a method disclosed in a paragraph of 0015 of JP2011-048878A can be used, for example.

In the invention and the specification, unless otherwise noted, (1) in a case where the shape of the particle observed in the particle image described above is a needle shape, a fusiform shape, or a columnar shape (here, a height is greater than a maximum long diameter of a bottom surface), the size (particle size) of the particles configuring the powder is shown as a length of a long axis configuring the particle, that is, a long axis length, (2) in a case where the shape of the particle is a planar shape or a columnar shape (here, a thickness or a height is smaller than a maximum long diameter of a plate surface or a bottom surface), the particle size is shown as a maximum long diameter of the plate surface or the bottom surface, and (3) in a case where the shape of the particle is a sphere shape, a polyhedron shape, or an unspecified shape, and the long axis configuring the particles cannot be specified from the shape, the particle size is shown as an equivalent circle diameter. The equivalent circle diameter is a value obtained by a circle projection method.

In addition, regarding an average acicular ratio of the powder, a length of a short axis, that is, a short axis length of the particles is measured in the measurement described above, a value of (long axis length/short axis length) of each particle is obtained, and an arithmetical mean of the values obtained regarding 500 particles is calculated. Here, unless otherwise noted, in a case of (1), the short axis length as the definition of the particle size is a length of a short axis configuring the particle, in a case of (2), the short axis length is a thickness or a height, and in a case of (3), the long axis and the short axis are not distinguished, thus, the value of (long axis length/short axis length) is assumed as 1, for convenience.

In addition, unless otherwise noted, in a case where the shape of the particle is specified, for example, in a case of definition of the particle size (1), the average particle size is an average long axis length, in a case of the definition (2), the average particle size is an average plate diameter, and an average plate ratio is an arithmetical mean of (maximum long diameter/thickness or height). In a case of the definition (3), the average particle size is an average diameter (also referred to as an average particle diameter).

The content (filling percentage) of the ferromagnetic powder of the magnetic layer is preferably 50 to 90 mass % and more preferably 60 to 90 mass %. The components other than the ferromagnetic powder of the magnetic layer are at least a binding agent and fatty acid ester, and one or more kinds of additives may be arbitrarily included. A high filling percentage of the ferromagnetic powder in the magnetic layer is preferable from a viewpoint of improvement in the recording density.

Binding Agent

The magnetic tape includes a binding agent in the magnetic layer together with the ferromagnetic powder and fatty acid ester. The binding agent is one or more kinds of resin.

As the binding agent, a resin selected from a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, a vinyl chloride resin, an acrylic resin obtained by copolymerizing styrene, acrylonitrile, or methyl methacrylate, a cellulose resin such as nitrocellulose, an epoxy resin, a phenoxy resin, and a polyvinylalkylal resin such as polyvinyl acetal or polyvinyl butyral can be used alone or a plurality of resins can be mixed with each other to be used. Among these, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic resin, a cellulose resin, and a vinyl chloride resin are preferable. These resins may be a homopolymer or a copolymer. These resins can be used as the binding agent even in the non-magnetic layer and/or a back coating layer which will be described later. For the binding agent described above, description disclosed in paragraphs 0028 to 0031 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. In addition, the binding agent may be a radiation curable resin such as an electron beam-curable resin. For the radiation curable resin, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0044 and 0045 of JP2011-048878A can be referred to.

In addition, a curing agent can be used together with a resin which can be used as the binding agent. The curing agent is a compound including at least one and preferably two or more crosslinking functional groups in one molecule. As the curing agent, polyisocyanate is suitable. For the details of polyisocyanate, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0124 and 0125 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to. The amount of the curing agent used can be, for example, 0 to 80.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the binding agent, and is preferably 50.0 to 80.0 parts by mass, from a viewpoint of improvement in strength of each layer such as the magnetic layer.

Other Components

Additives can be added to the magnetic layer, if necessary. It is preferable that the magnetic layer includes one or more kinds of the non-magnetic filler. The non-magnetic filler is identical to the non-magnetic powder. As the non-magnetic filler, a non-magnetic filler (hereinafter, also referred to as a “projection formation agent”) which is added for controlling the projection of the surface of the magnetic tape and a non-magnetic filler (hereinafter, referred to as an “abrasive”) which is added as an abrasive imparting abrasive properties to the surface of the magnetic tape are mainly used. The magnetic layer preferably includes at least the projection formation agent and more preferably includes the projection formation agent and the abrasive.

The projection formation agent may be powder of inorganic substances (inorganic powder) or powder of organic substances (organic powder), and is preferably powder of inorganic substances. In addition, carbon black is also preferable. An average particle size of carbon black is preferably equal to or greater than 20 nm and more preferably equal to or greater than 30 nm. In addition, the average particle size of carbon black is preferably equal to or smaller than 150 nm and more preferably equal to or smaller than 100 nm.

Examples of the inorganic powder include powder of inorganic oxide such as metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfate, metal nitride, metal carbide, and metal sulfide, and specific examples thereof include powder of α-alumina, β-alumina, γ-alumina, θ-alumina, silicon oxide such as silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, chromium oxide, cerium oxide, α-iron oxide, goethite, corundum, silicon nitride, titanium carbide, titanium dioxide, tin oxide, magnesium oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, boron nitride, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, and molybdenum disulfide, or composite inorganic powder including two or more kinds thereof. The inorganic oxide powder is more preferable and silicon oxide powder is even more preferable.

The projection formation agent preferably has uniformity of the particle size, from a viewpoint of further improving electromagnetic conversion characteristics. From a viewpoint of availability of particles having high uniformity of the particle size, the projection formation agent is preferably colloidal particles. In the invention and the specification, the “colloidal particles” are particles which are not precipitated and dispersed to generate a colloidal dispersion, in a case where 1 g of the particles is added to 100 mL of at least one organic solvent of at least methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, toluene, or ethyl acetate, or a mixed solvent including two or more kinds of the solvent described above at an arbitrary mixing ratio. The average particle size of the colloidal particles is a value obtained by a method disclosed in a paragraph 0015 of JP2011-048878A as a measurement method of an average particle diameter. In a case where the non-magnetic filler used in the formation of the magnetic layer is available, it is possible to determine whether or not the non-magnetic filler included in the magnetic layer is colloidal particles, by evaluating whether or not such a non-magnetic filler has properties which are the properties of the colloidal particles described above. Alternatively, the determination can also be performed by evaluating whether or not the non-magnetic filler extracted from the magnetic layer has properties which are the properties of the colloidal particles described above. The extraction of the non-magnetic filler from the magnetic layer can be performed by the following method, for example.

1. 1 g of the magnetic layer is scraped off. The scraping can be performed, for example, by a razor blade.

2. A magnetic layer sample obtained by the scraping is put in a vessel such as an eggplant flask and 100 ml of tetrahydrofuran is added into this vessel. Examples of tetrahydrofuran include commercially available tetrahydrofuran to which a stabilizer is added and commercially available tetrahydrofuran to which a stabilizer is not added. Meanwhile, here, the commercially available tetrahydrofuran to which a stabilizer is not added is used. The same applies to tetrahydrofuran used in washing described hereinafter.

3. A circulation tube is attached to the vessel and heated in a water bath at a water temperature of 60° C. for 90 minutes. After filtering the content in the heated vessel with a filter paper, the solid content remaining on the filter paper is washed with tetrahydrofuran several times, and the washed solid content is moved to a vessel such as a beaker. A 4 N (4 mol/L) hydrochloric acid aqueous solution is added into this vessel and a residue remaining without being dissolved is extracted by filtering. As a filter, a filter having a hole diameter smaller than 0.05 μm is used. For example, a membrane filter used for chromatography analysis (for example, MF Millipore manufactured by Merck Millipore Corporation) can be used. The residue extracted by the filtering is washed with pure water several times and dried.

Ferromagnetic powder and organic matters (binding agent and the like) are dissolved by the operation described above, and a non-magnetic filler is collected as a residue.

By performing the steps described above, the non-magnetic filler can be extracted from the magnetic layer. In a case where a plurality of kinds of non-magnetic fillers are included in the non-magnetic filler extracted as described above, the plurality of kinds of non-magnetic fillers can be divided depending on the differences of density.

As preferred colloidal particles, inorganic oxide colloidal particles can be used. As the inorganic oxide colloidal particles, colloidal particles of inorganic oxide described above can be used, and composite inorganic oxide colloidal particles such as SiO₂—Al₂O₃, SiO₂—B₂O₃, TiO₂.CeO₂, SnO₂—Sb₂O₃, SiO₂—Al₂O₃.TiO₂, and TiO₂.CeO₂.SiO₂ can be used. The inorganic oxide colloidal particles such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, ZrO₂, and Fe₂O₃ are preferable and silica colloidal particles (colloidal silica) are particularly preferable. Meanwhile, typical colloidal particles have a hydrophilic surface, and thus, the colloidal particles are suitable for manufacturing a colloidal solution using water as a dispersion medium. For example, colloidal silica obtained by a general synthesis method has a surface covered with polarized oxygen atoms (O²⁻), and thus, colloidal silica adsorbs water in water, forms a hydroxyl group, and is stabilized. However, these particles are hardly present in a colloidal state, in an organic solvent normally used in the magnetic layer forming composition. With respect to this, the colloidal particles of the invention and the specification are particles which are not precipitated but are dispersed to cause a colloidal dispersion, when 1 g thereof is added with respect to 100 mL of the organic solvent described above. Such colloidal particles can be prepared by a well-known method of hydrophobing the surface by surface treatment. For details of such hydrophobization treatment, descriptions disclosed in JP1993-269365A (JP-H05-269365A), JP1993-287213A (JP-H05-287213A), and JP2007-63117A are referred to.

As a manufacturing method of the silica colloidal particles (colloidal silica) which are preferred colloidal particles, two kinds of methods such as a water glass method and a sol-gel method are generally known. The water glass method is a method of using silica soda (sodium silicate, so-called water glass) as a raw material, performing ion exchange with respect to this to generate an active silica, and causing particle growth. Meanwhile, the sol-gel method is a method of using tetraalkoxysilane as a raw material, and performing hydrolysis under a basic catalyst and causing particle growth at the same time. In a case of using the silica colloidal particles as the non-magnetic particles, the silica colloidal particles may be manufactured by any manufacturing method described above.

An average particle size of the projection formation agent is preferably 50 to 200 nm, and more preferably 50 to 150 nm.

The content of the projection formation agent in the magnetic layer is preferably 1.0 to 4.0 parts by mass and more preferably 1.5 to 3.5 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder.

Meanwhile, the abrasive may be inorganic powder or organic powder, and the inorganic powder is preferable. Examples of the abrasive include powders of alumina (Al₂O₃), silicon carbide, boron carbide (B₄C), SiO₂, TiC, chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃), cerium oxide, zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), iron oxide, diamond, and the like which are materials normally used as the abrasive of the magnetic layer, and among these, alumina powder such as ca-alumina and silicon carbide powder are preferable. The content of the abrasive in the magnetic layer is preferably 1.0 to 20.0 parts by mass, more preferably 3.0 to 15.0 parts by mass, and even more preferably 4.0 to 10.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder. The average particle size of the abrasive is, for example, 30 to 300 nm and preferably 50 to 200 nm.

An arbitrary amount of one or more kinds of various additives such as a dispersing agent, a dispersing assistant, an antifungal agent, an antistatic agent, an antioxidant, and carbon black may be further added to the magnetic layer. As the additives, commercially available products can be suitably selectively used according to the desired properties. Alternatively, a compound synthesized by a well-known method can be used as the additives.

Center Line Average Surface Roughness Ra Measured Regarding Surface of Magnetic Layer

Increasing a surface smoothness of the magnetic layer in the magnetic tape causes improvement of electromagnetic conversion characteristics. Regarding the surface smoothness of the magnetic layer, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer can be an index. In the invention and the specification, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is a value measured with an atomic force microscope (AFM) in a region having an area of 40 μm×40 μm. As an example of the measurement conditions, the following measurement conditions can be used. The center line average surface roughness Ra shown in examples which will be described later is a value obtained by the measurement under the following measurement conditions.

The measurement is performed regarding the region of 40 μm×40 μm of the area of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape with an AFM (Nanoscope 4 manufactured by Veeco Instruments, Inc.). A scan speed (probe movement speed) is set as 40 μm/sec and a resolution is set as 512 pixel×512 pixel.

In one aspect, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is preferably equal to or smaller than 2.8 nm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 2.3 nm, and still more preferably equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, from a viewpoint of improving electromagnetic conversion characteristics. However, according to the studies of the inventors, it is found that, in a case where the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm and any measures are not prepared, a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head tends to occur even more significantly. However, even a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurring in a case where the Ra is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm can be prevented, in a case of the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention. In addition, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer can be equal to or greater than 1.2 nm or equal to or greater than 1.3 nm.

From a viewpoint of improving electromagnetic conversion characteristics, a low value of the Ra is preferable, and thus, the Ra may be lower than the values described above.

The surface smoothness of the magnetic layer, that is, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer can be controlled by a well-known method. For example, the surface smoothness of the magnetic layer can be controlled by adjusting a size of various powder (for example, ferromagnetic powder, non-magnetic filler which may be arbitrarily included, and the like) included in the magnetic layer or manufacturing conditions of the magnetic tape.

Non-Magnetic Layer

Next, the non-magnetic layer will be described. The magnetic tape may include a magnetic layer directly on a non-magnetic support, or may include a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer. The non-magnetic powder used in the non-magnetic layer may be powder of inorganic substances or powder of organic substances. In addition, carbon black and the like can be used. Examples of the inorganic substances include metal, metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfate, metal nitride, metal carbide, and metal sulfide. These non-magnetic powder can be purchased as a commercially available product or can be manufactured by a well-known method. For details thereof, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0146 to 0150 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to. For carbon black which can be used in the non-magnetic layer, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0040 and 0041 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. The content (filling percentage) of the non-magnetic powder of the non-magnetic layer is preferably 50 to 90 mass % and more preferably 60 to 90 mass %.

In regards to other details of a binding agent or additives of the non-magnetic layer, the well-known technology regarding the non-magnetic layer can be applied. In addition, in regards to the type and the content of the binding agent, and the type and the content of the additive, for example, the well-known technology regarding the magnetic layer can be applied.

The non-magnetic layer of the magnetic tape also includes a substantially non-magnetic layer including a small amount of ferromagnetic powder as impurities or intentionally, together with the non-magnetic powder. Here, the substantially non-magnetic layer is a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT, a layer having coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m (100 Oe), or a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT and coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m (100 Oe). It is preferable that the non-magnetic layer does not have a residual magnetic flux density and coercivity.

Non-Magnetic Support

Next, the non-magnetic support will be described. As the non-magnetic support (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “support”), well-known components such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyamide imide, aromatic polyamide subjected to biaxial stretching are used. Among these, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polyamide are preferable. Corona discharge, plasma treatment, easy-bonding treatment, or heating treatment may be performed with respect to these supports in advance.

Back Coating Layer

The magnetic tape can also include a back coating layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent on a surface side of the non-magnetic support opposite to the surface provided with the magnetic layer. The back coating layer preferably includes any one or both of carbon black and inorganic powder. In regards to the binding agent included in the back coating layer and various additives which can be arbitrarily included in the back coating layer, a well-known technology regarding the treatment of the magnetic layer and/or the non-magnetic layer can be applied.

Various Thickness

A thickness of the non-magnetic support is preferably 3.0 to 6.0 μm.

A thickness of the magnetic layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 0.15 μm and more preferably equal to or smaller than 0.1 μm, from a viewpoint of realization of high-density recording required in recent years. The thickness of the magnetic layer is even more preferably 0.01 to 0.1 μm. The magnetic layer may be at least single layer, the magnetic layer may be separated into two or more layers having different magnetic properties, and a configuration of a well-known multilayered magnetic layer can be applied. A thickness of the magnetic layer in a case where the magnetic layer is separated into two or more layers is a total thickness of the layers.

A thickness of the non-magnetic layer is, for example, 0.1 to 1.5 μm and is preferably 0.1 to 1.0 μm.

Meanwhile, the magnetic tape is normally used to be accommodated and circulated in a magnetic tape cartridge. In order to increase recording capacity for 1 reel of the magnetic tape cartridge, it is desired to increase a total length of the magnetic tape accommodated in 1 reel of the magnetic tape cartridge. In order to increase the recording capacity, it is necessary that the magnetic tape is thinned (hereinafter, referred to as “thinning”). As one method of thinning the magnetic tape, a method of decreasing a total thickness of a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer of a magnetic tape including the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer on a non-magnetic support in this order is used. In a case where the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer, the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 1.8 μm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.5 μm, and even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm, from a viewpoint of thinning the magnetic tape. According to the studies of the inventors, it is found that, in a case where the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm and any measures are not prepared, a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head tends to occur even more significantly. However, even a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurring in a case where the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm can be prevented, in a case of the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention. In addition, the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer can be, for example, equal to or greater than 0.1 μm or equal to or greater than 0.2 μm.

A thickness of the back coating layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 0.9 μm and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.7 μm.

The thicknesses of various layers of the magnetic tape and the non-magnetic support can be acquired by a well-known film thickness measurement method. As an example, a cross section of the magnetic tape in a thickness direction is, for example, exposed by a well-known method of ion beams or microtome, and the exposed cross section is observed with a scan electron microscope. In the cross section observation, various thicknesses can be acquired as a thickness acquired at one position of the cross section in the thickness direction, or an arithmetical mean of thicknesses acquired at a plurality of positions of two or more positions, for example, two positions which are arbitrarily extracted. In addition, the thickness of each layer may be acquired as a designed thickness calculated according to the manufacturing conditions.

Manufacturing Method

Preparation of Each Layer Forming Composition

Each composition for forming the magnetic layer, the non-magnetic layer, or the back coating layer normally includes a solvent, together with various components described above. As the solvent, various organic solvents generally used for manufacturing a coating type magnetic recording medium can be used. Among those, from a viewpoint of solubility of the binding agent normally used in the coating type magnetic recording medium, each layer forming composition preferably includes one or more ketone solvents such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, diisobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, isophorone, and tetrahydrofuran. The amount of the solvent of each layer forming composition is not particularly limited, and can be set to be the same as that of each layer forming composition of a typical coating type magnetic recording medium. In addition, steps of preparing each layer forming composition generally include at least a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step provided before and after these steps, if necessary. Each step may be divided into two or more stages. All of raw materials used in the invention may be added at an initial stage or in a middle stage of each step. In addition, each raw material may be separately added in two or more steps. For example, a binding agent may be separately added in a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step for adjusting viscosity after the dispersion. In a manufacturing step of the magnetic tape, a well-known manufacturing technology of the related art can be used in a part of the step or in the entire step. In the kneading step, an open kneader, a continuous kneader, a pressure kneader, or a kneader having a strong kneading force such as an extruder is preferably used. The details of the kneading processes of these kneaders are disclosed in JP1989-106338A (JP-H01-106338A) and JP1989-79274A (JP-H01-79274A). In addition, in order to disperse each layer forming composition, glass beads and/or other beads can be used. As such dispersion beads, zirconia beads, titania beads, and steel beads which are dispersion beads having high specific gravity are preferable. These dispersion beads are preferably used by optimizing a bead diameter and a filling percentage. As a dispersing machine, a well-known dispersing machine can be used.

Coating Step

The magnetic layer can be formed, for example, by directly applying the magnetic layer forming composition onto the non-magnetic support or performing multilayer coating of the magnetic layer forming composition with the non-magnetic layer forming composition in order or at the same time. The back coating layer can be formed by applying the back coating layer forming composition to a side of the non-magnetic support opposite to a side provided with the magnetic layer (or to be provided with the magnetic layer). For details of the coating for forming each layer, a description disclosed in a paragraph 0066 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to.

Other Steps

For details of various other steps for manufacturing the magnetic tape, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0067 to 0070 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to. In addition, a servo pattern can also be formed in the magnetic tape by a well-known method, in order to perform head tracking servo in the magnetic tape device.

One Aspect of Preferred Manufacturing Method

As a preferred manufacturing method of the magnetic tape, a manufacturing method of applying vibration to the magnetic layer can be used, in order to improve uniformity of the thickness of the liquid film of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer. The inventors have surmised that, by adding vibration, the liquid film of fatty acid ester on the surface of the magnetic layer flows and the uniformity of the thickness of the liquid film is improved.

That is, the magnetic tape can be manufactured by a manufacturing method of forming the magnetic layer by applying the magnetic layer forming composition including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support and drying to form a magnetic layer, and applying vibration to the formed magnetic layer. The manufacturing method is identical to the typical manufacturing method of the magnetic tape, except for applying vibration to the magnetic layer, and the details thereof are as described above.

Means for applying vibration are not particularly limited. For example, the vibration can be applied to the magnetic layer, by bringing the surface of the non-magnetic support, provided with the magnetic layer formed, on a side opposite to the magnetic layer to come into contact with a vibration imparting unit. The non-magnetic support, provided with the magnetic layer formed, may run while coming into contact with a vibration imparting unit.

The vibration imparting unit, for example, includes an ultrasonic vibrator therein, and accordingly, vibration can be applied to a product coming into contact with the unit. It is possible to adjust the vibration applied to the magnetic layer by a vibration frequency, and strength of the ultrasonic vibrator, and/or the contact time with the vibration imparting unit.

For example, the contact time can be adjusted by a running speed of the non-magnetic support, provided with the magnetic layer formed, while coming into contact with the vibration imparting unit. The vibration imparting conditions are not particularly limited, and may be set so as to control the spacing distribution, particularly, the full width at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(before) before vacuum heating. In order to set the vibration imparting conditions, a preliminary experiment can be performed before the actual manufacturing, and the conditions can be optimized.

In addition, the full width at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(after) after the vacuum heating tends to be decreased, in a case where the dispersion conditions of the magnetic layer forming composition are reinforced (for example, the number of times of the dispersion is increased, the dispersion time is extended, and the like), and/or the filtering conditions are reinforced (for example, a filter having a small hole diameter is used as a filter used in the filtering, the number of times of the filtering is increased, and the like). The inventors have surmised that this is because the uniformity of the height of the projection present on the surface of the magnetic layer is improved, by improving dispersibility and/or the uniformity of the particle size of the particulate matter included in the magnetic layer forming composition, particularly, the non-magnetic filler which may function as the projection formation agent described above. A preliminary experiment can be performed before the actual manufacturing, and the dispersion conditions and/or the filtering conditions can be optimized.

In addition, in the magnetic tape including the magnetic layer including carbon black as the non-magnetic filler, it is effective to use the dispersing agent for improving dispersibility of the carbon black as a magnetic layer component, in order to decrease the full width at half maximum of the spacing distribution FWHM_(after) after the vacuum heating. For example, organic tertiary amine can be used as a dispersing agent of carbon black. For details of the organic tertiary amine, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0011 to 0018 and 0021 of JP2013-049832A can be referred to. The organic tertiary amine is more preferably trialkylamine. An alkyl group included in trialkylamine is preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms. Three alkyl groups included in trialkylamine may be the same as each other or different from each other. For details of the alkyl group, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0015 to 0016 of JP2013-049832A can be referred to. As trialkylamine, trioctylamine is particularly preferable.

Hereinabove, an aspect of the preferred manufacturing method of the magnetic tape has been described. However, the magnetic tape included in the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention is not limited to a magnetic tape manufactured by the manufacturing method described above.

The magnetic tape described above is generally accommodated in a magnetic tape cartridge and the magnetic tape cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape device. In the magnetic tape cartridge, the magnetic tape is generally accommodated in a cartridge main body in a state of being wound around a reel. The reel is rotatably provided in the cartridge main body. As the magnetic tape cartridge, a single reel type magnetic tape cartridge including one reel in a cartridge main body and a twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge including two reels in a cartridge main body are widely used. In a case where the single reel type magnetic tape cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape device (drive) in order to record and/or reproduce data (magnetic signals) to the magnetic tape, the magnetic tape is drawn from the magnetic tape cartridge and wound around the reel on the drive side. A magnetic head is disposed on a magnetic tape transportation path from the magnetic tape cartridge to a winding reel. Sending and winding of the magnetic tape are performed between a reel (supply reel) on the magnetic tape cartridge side and a reel (winding reel) on the drive side. In the meantime, the magnetic head comes into contact with and slides on the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape, and accordingly, the recording and/or reproduction of the magnetic signal is performed. With respect to this, in the twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge, both reels of the supply reel and the winding reel are provided in the magnetic tape cartridge. The magnetic tape according to one aspect of the invention may be accommodated in any of single reel type magnetic tape cartridge and twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge. The configuration of the magnetic tape cartridge is well known.

Reproducing Head

The magnetic tape device includes the TMR head as the reproducing head. The TMR head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (TMR element). The TMR element can play a role of detecting a change in leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape as a change in resistance value (electric resistance) by using a tunnel magnetoresistance effect, as a reproducing element for reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape (specifically, information recorded on the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape). By converting the detected change in resistance value into a change in voltage, the information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced.

As the TMR head included in the magnetic tape device, a TMR head having a well-known configuration including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (TMR element) can be used. For example, for details of the structure of the TMR head, materials of each unit configuring the TMR head, and the like, well-known technologies regarding the TMR head can be used.

The TMR head is a so-called thin film head. The TMR element included in the TMR head at least includes two electrode layers, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer, and a fixed layer.

The TMR head includes a TMR element in a state where cross sections of these layers face a side of a surface sliding on the magnetic tape. The tunnel barrier layer is positioned between the two electrode layers and the tunnel barrier layer is an insulating layer. Meanwhile, the free layer and the fixed layer are magnetic layers. The free layer is also referred to as a magnetization free layer and is a layer in which a magnetization direction changes depending on the external magnetic field. On the other hand, the fixed layer is a layer in which a magnetization direction does not change depending on the external magnetic field. The tunnel barrier layer (insulating layer) is positioned between the two electrodes, normally, and thus, even in a case where a voltage is applied, in general, a current does not flow or does not substantially flow. However, a current (tunnel current) flows by the tunnel effect depending on a magnetization direction of the free layer affected by a leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape. The amount of a tunnel current flow changes depending on a relative angle of a magnetization direction of the fixed layer and a magnetization direction of the free layer, and as the relative angle decreases, the amount of the tunnel current flow increases. A change in amount of the tunnel current flow is detected as a change in resistance value by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. By converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage, the information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced. For an example of the configuration of the TMR head, a description disclosed in FIG. 1 of JP2004-185676A can be referred to, for example. However, there is no limitation to the aspect shown in the drawing. FIG. 1 of JP2004-185676A shows two electrode layers and two shield layers. Here, a TMR head having a configuration in which the shield layer serves as an electrode layer is also well known and the TMR head having such a configuration can also be used. In the TMR head, a current (tunnel current) flows between the two electrodes and thereby changing electric resistance, by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. The TMR head is a magnetic head having a CPP structure, and thus, a direction in which a current flows is a transportation direction of the magnetic tape. In the invention and the specification, the description regarding “orthogonal” includes a range of errors allowed in the technical field of the invention. For example, the range of errors means a range of less than ±10° from an exact orthogonal state, and the error from the exact orthogonal state is preferably within ±5° and more preferably within ±30. A decrease in resistance value of the TMR head means a decrease in electric resistance measured by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes, and a decrease in electric resistance between two electrodes in a state where a current does not flow. A significant decrease in electric resistance causes a decrease in electromagnetic conversion characteristics. This decrease in resistance value of the TMR head can be prevented by using a magnetic tape having the FWHM_(before), the FWHM_(after), and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) respectively in the ranges described above, as the magnetic tape in which information to be reproduced is recorded.

The reproducing head is a magnetic head including at least the TMR element as a reproducing element for reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape. Such a magnetic head may include or may not include an element for recording information in the magnetic tape. That is, the reproducing head and the recording head may be one magnetic head or separated magnetic heads. In addition, the magnetic head including the TMR element as a reproducing element may include a servo pattern reading element for performing head tracking servo.

As the magnetic tape transportation speed of the magnetic tape device is high, it is possible to shorten a reproducing time. Meanwhile, it is desired that the magnetic tape transportation speed is decreased, in order to prevent a deterioration in recording and reproducing characteristics. From a viewpoint of preventing a deterioration in recording and reproducing characteristics, the magnetic tape transportation speed is preferably equal to or lower than 18 m/sec, more preferably equal to or lower than 15 m/sec, and even more preferably equal to or lower than 10 m/sec. The magnetic tape transportation speed can be, for example, equal to or higher than 1 m/sec.

The magnetic tape transportation speed is also referred to as a running speed, and is a relative speed between the magnetic tape and the reproducing head in a case where the magnetic tape is transported (runs) in the magnetic tape device in order to reproduce information recorded on the magnetic tape. Normally, the magnetic tape transportation speed is set in a control unit of the magnetic tape device. As the magnetic tape transportation speed is low, the time for which the same portion of the TMR head comes into contact with the magnetic tape increases at the time of reproducing, and accordingly, damage on the TMR head more easily occurs and a decrease in resistance value easily occurs. In the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention, such a decrease in resistance value can be prevented by using a magnetic tape having the FWHM_(before), the FWHM_(after), and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) respectively in the ranges described above.

Magnetic Reproducing Method

One aspect of the invention relates to a magnetic reproducing method including: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm. The reproducing of the information recorded on the magnetic tape is performed by bringing the magnetic tape into contact with the reproducing head allowing sliding while transporting (causing running of) the magnetic tape. The details of the reproducing of the magnetic reproducing method and the details of the magnetic tape and the reproducing head used in the magnetic reproducing method are as the descriptions regarding the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention.

According to one aspect of the invention, a magnetic tape used in a magnetic tape device in which a TMR head is used as a reproducing head, the magnetic tape including: a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on a non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm, is also provided. The details of the magnetic tape are also as the descriptions regarding the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the invention will be described with reference to examples. However, the invention is not limited to aspects shown in the examples. “Parts” and “%” in the following description mean “parts by mass” and “mass %”, unless otherwise noted.

1. Manufacturing of Magnetic Tape Example 1

Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

Magnetic Solution

Ferromagnetic hexagonal barium ferrite powder: 100.0 parts

-   -   (coercivity Hc: 2,100 Oe (168 kA/m), average particle size: 25         nm)

Sulfonic acid-containing polyurethane resin: 15.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 150.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 150.0 parts

Abrasive Liquid

α-alumina (average particle size of 110 nm): 9.0 parts

A vinyl chloride copolymer: (MR110 manufactured by Zeon Corporation): 0.7 parts

Cyclohexanone: 20.0 parts

Silica Sol

Colloidal silica prepared by a sol-gel method (average particle size: 120 nm): 3.5 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 8.2 parts

Other Components

Butyl stearate: 1.0 part

Stearic acid: 1.0 part

Polyisocyanate (CORONATE manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.): 2.5 parts

Finishing Additive Solvent

Cyclohexanone: 180.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 180.0 parts

Non-Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

Non-magnetic inorganic powder (α-iron oxide): 80.0 parts

(average particle size: 0.15 μm, average acicular ratio: 7, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area: 52 m²/g)

Carbon black (average particle size of 20 nm): 20.0 parts

An electron beam-curable vinyl chloride copolymer: 13.0 parts

An electron beam-curable polyurethane resin: 6.0 parts

Phenylphosphonic acid: 3.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 140.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 170.0 parts

Butyl stearate: see Table 1

Stearic acid: see Table 1

Back Coating Layer Forming Composition

-   -   Non-magnetic inorganic powder (α-iron oxide): 80.0 parts

(average particle size: 0.15 μm, average acicular ratio: 7, BET specific surface area: 52 m²/g)

Carbon black (average particle size of 20 nm): 20.0 parts

Carbon black (average particle size of 100 nm): 3.0 parts

A vinyl chloride copolymer: 13.0 parts

A sulfonic acid-containing polyurethane resin: 6.0 parts

Phenylphosphonic acid: 3.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 140.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 170.0 parts

Stearic acid: 3.0 parts

Polyisocyanate (CORONATE manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.): 5.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 400.0 parts

Preparation of Each Layer Forming Composition

The magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by the following method.

The magnetic solution was kneaded and diluted by an open kneader, and subjected to a dispersion process of 12 passes, with a transverse beads mill dispersing device and zirconia (ZrO₂) beads (hereinafter, referred to as “Zr beads”) having a bead diameter of 0.5 mm, by setting a bead filling percentage as 80 volume %, a circumferential speed of rotor distal end as 10 m/sec, and a retention time for 1 pass as 2 minutes.

After mixing the components described above, the abrasive liquid was put in a vertical sand mill dispersing device together with Zr beads having a bead diameter of 1 mm, the bead volume/(abrasive liquid volume+bead volume) was adjusted to be 60%, the sand mill dispersing process was performed for 180 minutes, a solution after the process was extracted, and an ultrasonic dispersion filtering process was performed with a flow-type ultrasonic dispersion filtering device.

The magnetic solution, the silica sol, the abrasive liquid, other components, and the finishing additive solvent were introduced into a dissolver stirring device, and were stirred at a circumferential speed of 10 m/sec for 30 minutes. After that, the treatment was performed with a flow-type ultrasonic dispersing device at a flow rate of 7.5 kg/min for the number of times of the passes shown in Table 1, and then, a magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by performing filtering with a filter having a hole diameter shown in Table 1, for the number of times of the passes shown in Table 1.

The non-magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by the following method.

Each component excluding a lubricant (butyl stearate and stearic acid) was kneaded with an open kneader and diluted, and then, was dispersed by using a transverse bead mill dispersing device. After that, the lubricant (butyl stearate and stearic acid) was added thereto, and stirred and mixed with a dissolver stirring device, to prepare a non-magnetic layer forming composition.

The back coating layer forming composition was prepared by the following method.

Each component excluding the lubricant (stearic acid), polyisocyanate, and methyl ethyl ketone (400.0 parts) was kneaded with an open kneader and diluted, and then, was dispersed by using a transverse bead mill dispersing device. After that, the lubricant (stearic acid), polyisocyanate, and methyl ethyl ketone (400.0 parts) were added thereto, and stirred and mixed with a dissolver stirring device, to prepare a back coating layer forming composition.

Manufacturing of Magnetic Tape

The non-magnetic layer forming composition was applied onto a polyethylene naphthalate support having a thickness of 5.0 μm and dried so that the thickness after the drying becomes the thickness shown in Table 1, and then, an electron beam was emitted with an energy of 40 kGy at an acceleration voltage of 125 kV. The magnetic layer forming composition was applied thereto and dried so that the thickness after the drying becomes the thickness shown in Table 1, to form a coating layer of the magnetic layer forming composition.

After that, the support, provided with the coating layer formed, was installed in a vibration imparting device shown in FIG. 1 so that the surface thereof on a side opposite to the surface where the coating layer is formed comes into contact with the vibration imparting unit, and the support (in FIG. 1, reference numeral 101), provided with the coating layer formed, was transported at a transportation speed of 0.5 m/sec, to apply vibration to the coating layer.

In FIG. 1, a reference numeral 102 denotes a guide roller (a reference numeral 102 denotes one of two guide rollers), a reference numeral 103 denotes the vibration imparting device (vibration imparting unit including the ultrasonic vibrator), and an arrow denotes a transportation direction. The time from the start of the contact of the arbitrary portion of the support, provided with the coating layer formed, with the vibration imparting unit until the end of the contact (vibration imparting time) is shown in Table 1 as the imparting time. The vibration imparting unit used includes an ultrasonic vibrator therein. The vibration was imparted by setting a vibration frequency and the intensity of the ultrasonic vibrator as values shown in Table 1.

After that, the back coating layer forming composition was applied onto the surface of the support on a side opposite to the surface where the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer are formed, and dried so that the thickness after the drying becomes thickness of 0.5 μm.

After that, the surface smoothing treatment (calender process) was performed with a calender roll configured of only a metal roll, at a calender process speed of 80 m/min, linear pressure of 300 kg/cm (294 kN/m), and a surface temperature of a calender roll shown in Table 1. As the calender process conditions are reinforced (for example, as the surface temperature of the calender roll increases), the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer tends to decrease.

Then, the thermal treatment was performed in the environment of the atmosphere temperature of 70° C. for 36 hours. After the thermal treatment, slitting was performed so as to have a width of ½ inches (0.0127 meters), and the surface of the magnetic layer was cleaned with a tape cleaning device in which a nonwoven fabric and a razor blade are attached to a device including a sending and winding devices of the slit so as to press the surface of the magnetic layer. Then, a servo pattern was formed on the magnetic layer by a commercially available servo writer.

By doing so, a magnetic tape was obtained. The thickness of each layer of the manufactured magnetic tape was acquired by the following method. It was confirmed that the thicknesses of the formed non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer were the thicknesses shown in Table 1 and the thicknesses of the back coating layer and the non-magnetic support were the thicknesses described above.

A cross section of the magnetic tape in a thickness direction was exposed to ion beams and the exposed cross section was observed with a scanning electron microscope. Various thicknesses were obtained as an arithmetical mean of thicknesses obtained at two portions in the thickness direction in the cross section observation.

A part of the magnetic tape manufactured by the method described above was used in the evaluation described below, and the other part was used in order to measure a resistance value of the TMR head which will be described later.

2. Evaluation of Physical Properties of Magnetic Tape

(1) Center Line Average Surface Roughness Ra Measured Regarding Surface of Magnetic Layer

The measurement regarding a measurement area of 40 μm×40 μm in the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape was performed with an atomic force microscope (AFM, Nanoscope 4 manufactured by Veeco Instruments, Inc.), and a center line average surface roughness Ra was acquired. A scan speed (probe movement speed) was set as 40 μm/sec and a resolution was set as 512 pixel×512 pixel.

(2) Full Width at Half Maximum of Spacing Distributions FWHM_(before) and FWHM_(after) Before and after Vacuum Heating

The full width at half maximum of the spacing distributions FWHM_(before) and FWHM_(after) before and after vacuum heating were acquired by the following method by using a tape spacing analyzer (TSA) (manufactured by Micro Physics, Inc.).

In a state where a glass sheet included in the TSA was disposed on the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape, a hemisphere was pressed against the surface of the back coating layer of the magnetic tape at a pressure of 5.05×10⁴ N/m (0.5 atm) by using a hemisphere made of urethane included in the TSA as a pressing member. In this state, a given region (150,000 to 200,000 μm²) of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape was irradiated with white light from a stroboscope included in the TSA through the glass sheet, and the obtained reflected light was received by a charge-coupled device (CCD) through an interference filter (filter selectively passing light at a wavelength of 633 nm), and thus, an interference fringe image generated on the uneven part of the region was obtained.

This image was divided into 300,000 points, a distance (spacing) between the surface of the glass sheet on the magnetic tape side and the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape was acquired, and the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution was full width at half maximum, in a case where this spacing was shown with a histogram, and this histogram was fit with Gaussian distribution.

The vacuum heating was performed by storing the magnetic tape in a vacuum constant temperature drying machine with a degree of vacuum of 200 Pa to 0.01 Mpa and at inner atmosphere temperature of 70° C. to 90° C. for 24 hours.

(3) Difference (S_(after)−S_(before))

The difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) was a value obtained by subtracting a mode of the histogram before the vacuum heating from a mode of the histogram after the vacuum heating obtained in the section (2).

3. Measurement of Resistance Value of Reproducing Head

The magnetic tape manufactured in the part 1. was attached to a reel tester having a width of ½ inches (0.0127 meters) fixed to a recording head and a reproducing head, and information was recorded and reproduced. As the recording head, a metal-in-gap (MIG) head (gap length of 0.15 μm, track width of 1.0 μm) was used, and the reproducing head, a TMR head (element width of 70 nm) commercially available as a reproducing head for HDD was used. A tape length of the magnetic tape was 1,000 m, and a total of 4,000 passes of the transportation (running) of the magnetic tape was performed by setting the magnetic tape transportation speed (relative speed of the magnetic tape and the magnetic head) at the time of performing reproducing as 4 m/sec. The reproducing head was moved in a width direction of the magnetic tape by 2.5 μm for 1 pass, a resistance value (electric resistance) of the reproducing head for transportation of 400 passes was measured, and a rate of a decrease in resistance value with respect to an initial value (resistance value at 0 pass) was obtained by the following equation.

Rate of decrease in resistance value (%)=[(initial value−resistance value after transportation of 400 passes)/initial value]×100

The measurement of the resistance value (electric resistance) was performed by bringing an electric resistance measuring device (digital multi-meter (product number: DA-50C) manufactured by Sanwa Electric Instrument Co., Ltd.) into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes of a TMR element included in a TMR head. In a case where the calculated rate of a decrease in resistance value was equal to or greater than 30%/o, it was determined that a decrease in resistance value occurred. Then, a reproducing head was replaced with a new head, and transportation after 400 passes was performed and a resistance value was measured. The number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value which is 1 or greater indicates a significant decrease in resistance value. In the running of 4,000 passes, in a case where the rate of a decrease in resistance value did not become equal to or greater than 30%, the number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value was set as 0. In a case where the number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value is 0, the maximum value of the measured rate of a decrease in resistance value is shown in Table 1.

Examples 2 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 17

1. Manufacturing of Magnetic Tape

A magnetic tape was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that various conditions shown in Table 1 were changed as shown in Table 1.

2. Evaluation of Physical Properties of Magnetic Tape

Various physical properties of the manufactured magnetic tape were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

3. Measurement of Resistance Value of Reproducing Head

A resistance value of the reproducing head was measured by the same method as that in Example 1, by using the manufactured magnetic tape. In Examples 2 to 6 and Comparative Examples 11 to 17, the TMR head which was the same as that in Example 1 was used as a reproducing head. In Comparative Examples 1 to 10, a commercially available spin valve type GMR head (element width of 70 nm) was used as a reproducing head. This GMR head was a magnetic head having a CIP structure including two electrodes with an MR element interposed therebetween in a direction orthogonal to the transportation direction of the magnetic tape. A resistance value was measured in the same manner as in Example 1, by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting these two electrodes.

The results of the evaluations described above are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Unit Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Example 6 Non-magnetic Butyl stearate Content Part 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 layer forming Stearic acid Content Part 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 composition Manufacturing Calender Temperature of ° C. 75 80 95 95 95 95 conditions process conditions calender roll Ultrasonic vibration Imparting time Sec 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 3.0 3.0 imparting conditions Frequency kHz 30 30 30 30 30 30 Intensity W 100 100 100 100 100 100 Magnetic layer Number of Times 1 2 2 2 30 30 forming times of composition passes of flow- preparation type ultrasonic dispersing device conditions Number of times Times 1 1 1 1 5 5 of filtering Filter hole diameter μm 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 Physical Center line average surface nm 2.8 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 properties roughness Ra measured regarding surface of magnetic layer Magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Non-magnetic Thickness μm 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.3 layer Non-magnetic Total thickness μm 1.6 1.1 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.4 layer + Magnetic layer S_(after)-S_(before) nm 8.9 6.0 3.2 3.1 3.2 3.2 FWHM_(before) nm 6.8 6.7 6.8 6.8 4.1 4.1 FWHM_(after) nm 6.9 6.8 6.9 6.9 4.0 4.0 Reproducing Kind — TMR TMR TMR TMR TMR TMR head Performance Number of times of occurrence of Times 0 0 0 0 0 0 decrease in resistance value (times) Rate of decrease in resistance value (%) % 7 8 9 11 3 5 Comparative Comparative Comparative Comparative Comparative Unit Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Non-magnetic layer Butyl stearate Content Part 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 forming Stearic acid Content Part 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 composition Manufacturing Calender process Temperature of ° C. 75 80 95 80 95 conditions conditions calender roll Ultrasonic Imparting time Sec None None None None None vibration Frequency KHz imparting Intensity W conditions Magnetic layer Number of times Times 2 2 2 2 2 forming of passes of composition flow-type preparation ultrasonic conditions dispersing device Number of times Times 1 1 1 1 1 of filtering Filter hole μm 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 diameter Physical properties Center line average surface nm 2.8 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 roughness Ra measured regarding surface of magnetic layer Magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Non-magnetic Thickness μm 1.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 layer Non-magnetic Total thickness μm 1.6 1.1 1.1 0.6 0.6 layer + Magnetic layer S_(after)-S_(before) nm 8.9 6.0 5.9 3.2 3.1 FWHM_(before) nm 8.7 8.8 8.5 8.6 8.6 FWHM_(after) nm 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.9 6.8 Reproducing head Kind — GMR GMR GMR GMR GMR Performance Number of times of occurrence of Times 0 0 0 0 0 decrease in resistance value (times) Rate of decrease in resistance % 0 0 0 0 0 value (%) Comparative Comparative Comparative Comparative Comparative Unit Example 6 Example 7 Example 8 Example 9 Example 10 Non-magnetic layer Butyl stearate Content Part 8.0 4.0 15.0 0.0 4.0 forming Stearic acid Content Part 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 composition Manufacturing Calender process Temperature of ° C. 95 95 95 95 95 conditions conditions calender roll Ultrasonic Imparting time Sec None 0.5 0.5 0.5 None vibration Frequency KHz 30 30 30 imparting Intensity W 100 100 100 conditions Magnetic layer Number of times Times 2 1 2 2 2 forming of passes of composition flow-type preparation ultrasonic conditions dispersing device Number of times Times 1 1 1 1 1 of filtering Filter hole μm 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 diameter Physical properties Center line average surface nm 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 roughness Ra measured regarding surface of magnetic layer Magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Non-magnetic Thickness μm 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 layer Non-magnetic Total thickness μm 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 layer + Magnetic layer S_(after)-S_(before) nm 6.1 3.1 11.0 0 3.2 FWHM_(before) nm 8.5 6.8 6.9 6.8 8.5 FWHM_(after) nm 6.8 7.5 6.9 7.0 7.0 Reproducing head Kind — GMR GMR GMR GMR GMR Performance Number of times of occurrence of Times 0 0 0 0 0 decrease in resistance value (times) Rate of decrease in resistance % 0 0 0 0 0 value (%) Comparative Comparative Comparative Comparative Unit Example 11 Example 12 Example 13 Example 14 Non-magnetic layer Butyl stearate Content Part 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 forming composition Stearic acid Content Part 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Manufacturing conditions Calender process conditions Temperature of ° C. 75 80 95 95 calender roll Ultrasonic vibration imparting Imparting time Sec None None None 0.5 conditions Frequency kHz 30 Intensity W 100 Magnetic layer forming Number of times Times 2 2 2 1 composition preparation of passes of conditions flew-type ultrasonic dispersing device Number of times Times 1 1 1 1 of filtering Filter hole μm 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 diameter Physical properties Center line average surface roughness Ra nm 2.8 2.5 2.0 2.0 measured regarding surface of magnetic layer Magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Non-magnetic layer Thickness μm 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.5 Non-magnetic layer + Total thickness μm 1.6 1.1 0.6 0.6 Magnetic layer S_(after)-S_(before) nm 8.9 6.0 3.2 3.1 FWHM_(before) nm 8.7 8.8 8.5 6.8 FWHM_(after) nm 6.9 6.8 6.9 7.5 Reproducing head Kind — TMR TMR TMR TMR Performance Number of times of occurrence of decrease in Times 1 3 8 7 resistance value (times) Rate of decrease in resistance value (%) % — — — — Comparative Comparative Comparative Unit Example15 Example 16 Example 17 Non-magnetic layer Butyl stearate Content Part 15.0 0.0 4.0 forming composition Stearic acid Content Part 1.0 1.0 1.0 Manufacturing conditions Calender process conditions Temperature of ° C. 95 95 95 calender roll Ultrasonic vibration imparting Imparting time Sec 0.5 0.5 None conditions Frequency kHz 30 30 Intensity W 100 100 Magnetic layer forming Number of times Times 2 2 2 composition preparation of passes of conditions flew-type ultrasonic dispersing device Number of times Times 1 1 1 of filtering Filter hole μm 1.0 1.0 1.0 diameter Physical properties Center line average surface roughness Ra nm 2.0 2.0 2.0 measured regarding surface of magnetic layer Magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.1 0.1 0.1 Non-magnetic layer Thickness μm 0.5 0.5 0.3 Non-magnetic layer + Total thickness μm 0.6 0.6 0.4 Magnetic layer S_(after)-S_(before) nm 11.0 0 3.1 FWHM_(before) nm 6.9 6.8 8.6 FWHM_(after) nm 6.9 7.0 6.9 Reproducing head Kind — TMR TMR TMR Performance Number of times of occurrence of decrease in Times 10 10 9 resistance value (times) Rate of decrease in resistance value (%) % — — —

As shown in Table 1, in Comparative Examples 1 to 10 in which the GMR head was used as a reproducing head, even in a case where any one of the FWHM_(before) and the FWHM_(after) of the magnetic tape and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) was not in the range described above, a significant decrease in resistance value of the reproducing head was not observed. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 11 to 17 in which the TMR head was used as a reproducing head, and any one of the FWHM_(before) and the FWHM_(after) of the magnetic tape, and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) was not in the range described above, a significant decrease in resistance value of the reproducing head occurred.

With respect to this, in Examples 1 to 6 in which the TMR head was used as a reproducing head, and the FWHM_(before), the FWHM_(after), and the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) were respectively in the ranges described above, it was possible to prevent a significant decrease in resistance value of the reproducing head.

One aspect of the invention is effective for usage of magnetic recording for which high-sensitivity reproducing of information recorded with high density is desired. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic tape device comprising: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, wherein the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.
 2. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.
 3. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.
 4. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is 2.0 nm to 9.0 nm.
 5. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.8 nm.
 6. The magnetic tape device according to claim 5, wherein the center line average surface roughness Ra is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm.
 7. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, and a total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.8 μm.
 8. The magnetic tape device according to claim 7, wherein the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm.
 9. A magnetic reproducing method comprising: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, wherein the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and fatty acid ester on the non-magnetic support, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, a full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 7.0 nm, and a difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) between a spacing S_(after) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape and a spacing S_(before) measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm and equal to or smaller than 9.0 nm.
 10. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer before performing a vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.
 11. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer after performing the vacuum heating with respect to the magnetic tape is 3.0 nm to 7.0 nm.
 12. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein the difference (S_(after)−S_(before)) is 2.0 nm to 9.0 nm.
 13. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.8 nm.
 14. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 13, wherein the center line average surface roughness Ra is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm.
 15. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, and a total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.8 μm.
 16. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 15, wherein the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 1.1 μm. 